Kicker Rich
Fall, a University of Arizona graduate, returns to his old stomping
grounds on a tear, having hit 17 straight extra points. Photo by Chris
Arnold.

Kicking Off...

For the second straight year, the date August 16 brings forth an AFL
semifinal clash between the Rattlers and the Storm. However, the venue
has changed, from the cavernous ThunderDome to the cozy and noisy America
West Arena in downtown Phoenix. The Rattlers come in having won five
straight and 13 out of their last 14 since an opening night loss to the
Storm. And did you know that...since a 48-44 loss to
Anaheim on May 11, 1996, the Rattlers have gone 23-5, but have gone 0-3
against Tampa Bay in that span.

Rattlers to Watch...

QB Sherdrick Bonner goes back to pass during
the Storm-Rattlers semifinal game last season. Photo by Chris
Arnold.

QB Sherdrick Bonner - He wasn't the highest rated passer,
he didn't throw for the most yards or touchdowns, he didn't have the most
completions and he didn't throw the fewest interceptions. However, Bonner
may have had the best overall season of any AFL quarterback in 1997, and
certainly the best of his career. He threw a career high 67 touchdowns
offset by only six interceptions, the lowest for a full season in his
four-year career. In addition, that 67-to-six TD-to-INT ratio is a league
record, as is his 400-attempts-to-six-interceptions mark. He holds all
Rattlers passing records, in spite of spending 1993 on the bench behind
Paul Justin and missing half of the 1995 season because he was on the
Miami Dolphins' roster. However, there is one blemish on his career---his
record against the Storm. Since leading the Ratts to a 48-21 win over
Tampa Bay in 1994, he has gone winless in three straight against Tampa
Bay.

DS Cedric Walker - After splitting time with Orlando and
Charlotte last year, he found a home in Arizona. All he did in his first
season with Arizona was lead the league with 78 solo tackles and 108 total
stops. He added four interceptions, second on the Rattlers' roster behind
two-way threat Randy Gatewood, and broke up a team-high 16 passes. Against
Milwaukee last week, he was second on the Rattlers with seven total
tackles, including three solos.

OS Calvin Schexnayder - Not only does he have possible
the best surname in the Arena Football League, but he's been a spectacular
player for the last two seasons since moving from being a two-way player
to offense-only before the 1996 season. Schexnadyer ended the regular
season third in the AFL with 1,513 yards receving and finished fifth in
receptions with 93. However, he has been largely muzzled in four games
against the Storm. He only has one 100-yard game against Tampa Bay, that
coming in the semifinal round of last year's playoffs when he caught seven
passes for 107 yards. He has just three touchdowns in four games against
the Storm, with two of those coming in the 1994 win. Over the four games
in the series that he has participated in, the man they call "Shakes" has
caught 15 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns, giving him per-game
averages of 3.75 catches, 46 yards and 0.75 touchdowns---not exactly the
stuff he is used to. Hampered by injury, he did almost nothing against the
Storm in their Week One clash, catching a single pass for 16 yards. A
similar defensive effort by the Storm on Schexnayder could go a long way
towards ensuring the Storm a spot in the ArenaBowl.

WR/DB Randy Gatewood - This year, he has supplanted
longtime Rattler standout Hunkie Cooper as the team's No. 2 receiving
threat. Gatewood caught 62 passes for 892 yards and 20 touchdowns in 1997,
finishing second on the Rattlers in all three categories. A true ironman,
he led the team in pickoffs with five and was third in tackles with 44.
He's had similar all-around efforts against the Storm in the last two
years. Most notable was in last year's semifinals, when he caught three
passes for 34 yards, made five tackles, broke up two passes, picked off
two others and recovered a fumble. On every snap, Gatewood is a player the
Storm is going to have to account for in order to win.

Noting the Rattlers...

The Nemesis - No team has defeated the Rattlers more than
the Storm. Arizona is just 1-5 against Tampa Bay, including three losses
in America West Arena. No doubt that revenge will be a factor for the
Rattlers, who have dominated the rest of the league in the last two
seasons.

Stats Corner - Arizona is not great in any one area, but
is good in many. The Rattlers are fifth in scoring (50.9 points per game),
third in scoring defense (38.6 points per game), are fifth in toal offense
(282.8 yards per game) and seventh in toal defense, allowing 268.5 yards
per game. There is one truly remarkable number for the Rattlers, though,
and it comes in sacks. The Rattler offensive line has only allowed one all
season, and that was on backup QB Donnie Davis against San Jose. Bonner
has yet to hit the turf with the ball in his hands in 1997.

Tampa Bay/Arizona Connections - OL/DL Flint Fleming joined the
Storm in the preseason but was traded to the Rattlers after Week
Seven...WR/DB Herb Duncan was an 11th round draft pick of the Bucs in
1989...Lineman Darrin Kenney was a member of the Storm's 1993 World
Championship club...Defensive coordinator Doug Kay was also with the Storm
during the 1993 season before heading to Albany and later Charlotte; he
joined the Ratts in 1996...Storm K Rich Fall is a graduate of
the University of Arizona...Tampa Bay lineman Jerold Jeffcoat lives in
Chandler, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix...OS George LaFrance lives on a
Navajo reservation in eastern Arizona during the offseason.

Noting the Storm...

Nomadic Adventures - Finding the Storm at practice is
usually fairly easy---any fan can walk into the Ice Palace, sign
themselves in and head into the stands to watch. That is, of course, if
the Storm is actually in the Ice Palace. Thanks to a
two-day course in icemaking and a Friday night concert by The Who, the
football wizards were forced to find alternate and outdoor sites this
week. The Storm had access to an outdoor facility at Tampa Prep earlier in
the season, but were forced out there because a soccer team was using the
field. So the Storm practiced wherever they could. Tuesday, it was at
Pepin-Rood Stadium on the University of Tampa campus. Wednesday, it was on
the fields at the University of South Florida. Thursday, it was off to
Jesuit High School, a stone's throw from Houlihan's Stadium. "Wherever
they let us go, we'll practice," coach Tim Marcum said.

Kellogg's Progress - Three weeks ago, the Storm signed
WR/LB/DB Jack
Kellogg, a 6-1, 190-pound AFL rookie from Eastern Washington.
He has stepped in marvelously, leading the team in tackles with seven,
including six solos, last week at Nashville. However, he is having
something of an identity crisis. Wearing No. 6, he has been misidentified
in the official stat sheets as Walter Sutton, who remains
on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Statistically Speaking - QB Peter Tom Willis had the
best night of any AFL quarterback last weekend; his 132.4 passer rating
was tops in the league...FB/LB Les Barley led the league
with 44 yards on the ground last weekend...Overall, the Storm ran for 72
yards in last week's win. The next closest team was Arizona, with just 25
yards on the ground.

Injury Front - WR/LB Stevie Thomas continues to be hampered by
a thumb injury suffered at San Jose. He did run drills with the team this
week; although he didn't catch any passes, he ran routes to stay in
playing shape...DS Tracey
Perkins has been working on his hamstring, primarily doing
running drills as well as taking laps around the practice fields. He
should be ready for the game...WR/LB Lawrence Samuels is
questionable with a hip injury suffered last week at Nashville; however,
he did practice and is expected to go...WR Wayne Walker ran at full
speed for the first time in two weeks and will play Saturday...Still on
injured reserve are WR/DB Larry Kennedy (hamstring), lineman
Michael Thornton (ankle), FB/LB
Cedric McKinnon (shoulder) and
WR/DB Walter Sutton
(hamstring)...Thornton practiced this week, but because of the heat, was
drained. He took an IV after Wednesday's workout at USF.

Series History...

The Rattlers and Storm line up in 1996.
Photo by Chris Arnold.

The Rattlers and Storm have met six times. The Storm leads the
series 5-1.

07/11/92 - Tampa Bay 59, Arizona 28 - Highlights:
Stevie Thomas scores four times from more than 25 yards out; Storm grabs
43-14 lead by early in third quarter and cruises. Box Score

06/12/93 - Tampa Bay 63, Arizona 33 - Highlight:
Storm scores four touchdowns in the last 2:17 of the game---including
three in the final 22 seconds---to break open a close game late. Box Score

07/30/94 - Arizona 48, Tampa Bay 21 - Highlights: The
Rattlers' lone win in the series; Storm held to lowest point total in
franchise history; Jay Gruden completes a franchise-record 49-yard
touchdown pass to George LaFrance; Arizona reels off 34 straight points to
turn a 14-14 tie into a rout. Box Score

07/27/96 - Tampa Bay 69, Arizona 48 - Highlights:
Storm spots Rattlers a 31-14 second quarter advantage before scoring twice
in the last minute of the half; in the last 27:45 of the game, the Storm
outscored the Rattlers 34-10 in turning the game into a rout. Box Score